One of the unique features of this material is its focus on the adult life-cycle, rather than an age-oriented or other approach to categorizing adults. Although the core options for each movement are written to be used with as wide an array of adults as possible, each session includes teaching options that help make the session more meaningful to different types of adults. These options will be set off from the rest of the text.

Because there are so many ways to characterize the adult life-cycle (far beyond the limits of one curriculum resource), we have decided to emphasize four distinct periods in adult life as follows:

COLLEGE
This group consists mainly of college students, but could also consist of those adults who have an acquaintance with campus life (such as young adults at a university church). Some life issues for this group include developing a sense of intimacy with another person; dealing with isolation from others; career choice; and confirming one’s sense of identity.

ADULTS WITH CHILDREN
This group consists of persons who have pre-college children living at their home. Some significant issues for this group include being a single parent; children-rearing; marriage and intimacy; divorce recovery; career issues; dealing with one’s parents; and the impact of culture on the family.

ADULTS WITHOUT CHILDREN
This group consists of persons who have never had children, whether single or married. Some significant issues for this group include developing a sense of intimacy with a significant other; preparing for children; dealing with isolation; career issues; marriage; coming to terms with one’s identity as a single person; finding ways to be a “productive” member of society; and dealing with aging parents.

LAUNCHING ADULTS
This group consists of persons who are involved in a situation where a member of their family, possibly themselves, is leaving “home.” Some significant issues for this group are divorce recovery; dealing the death of a spouse; forming one’s identity; beginning a career; forming a new support system; finding a significant other; planning for the future; re-establishing a relationship with one’s spouse; becoming financially independent; and dealing with aging parents.

(Note: all four life-cycles will not always appear as options in each session, by they all will appear in each book)


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